Thread: Rabbits and Hares close to houses

I volunteer with trapping rats and hedgehogs/stoats etc in reserves where I live. Have been asked by someone from local Pony Club if we can deal with the rabbits and hares on the property they use/lease , Crown land, managed by Council, grassy farmland on outskirts of residential area.
I'm wondering about technicalities shooting these critters and not starting ww3 with locals/Police.
I've looked online and am guessing the following will be needed.

Keep as far away from the houses as possible.
Notify Police before hand.
Notify people in houses adjoining the farmland shooting on.

Does this sound right? What am I missing?

Cheers all.

If you are shooting near residential, ideally get hold of the local police and ask them.

use a bow.

Even if you notify and meet all requirements don't be surprised for some naft headed mollycoddler to raise an issue even when you haven't been shooting. Had a local outfit bracket a few nights for similar activities and due to weather/timing with external happenings in the area they didn't start to the 2nd night they listed. Sure enough, some idiot 'my opinion outweighs yours' type got a few of her (assuming it was a her) friends together and made several complaints on the first night.

It was a bit embarrassing when the outfit wasn't even working that night! But that's an illustration of the level of retarded fools that you have to deal with.

The best option, is first up a very good survey of the area to identify fire lines, angles, areas of richochet danger and where people might wander through without permission and work out if the area can actually be shot in without excessive risk to the people shooting. That will tell you if it's worth going any further.

Consider air rifle. Triple check firing zone and backstops. Subsonic .22lr seldom exit with chest shots so don't miss. Or go other way and super fragibles/explody supersonic. But noise is issue with that. Whatever you do...cover your arse with coppers beforehand and write down names n times of any communications.

@Hugh Shields?

very good advice from no 3 you hit nail on head neighbours police bit of a map HSE plan all good air rifle good idea but needs to be a powerful especially for hares bow well just playing really

Submit a work plan with local cops and notify when actually shooting. Saves embarrassment and/or meeting up with armed police. When planning on doing pest control near residential areas I ring Ch-Ch central station and they send a work order through to Blenheim and/or Picton station. Bugger all problems so far. You gotta be fucking sure of your shots and firing zone though. If you’re dealing with cats leave no evidence, that can turn into a shit show.
Bye the bye, a good day to be out and about looking for goats,hares etc.

You will probably need permission from the landowner, which is very unlikely of that means the council, unless you tick all sorts of boxes. Liability insurance, H&S plans, etc.

Originally Posted by woods223

Submit a work plan with local cops and notify when actually shooting. Saves embarrassment and/or meeting up with armed police. When planning on doing pest control near residential areas I ring Ch-Ch central station and they send a work order through to Blenheim and/or Picton station. Bugger all problems so far. You gotta be fucking sure of your shots and firing zone though. If you’re dealing with cats leave no evidence, that can turn into a shit show.
Bye the bye, a good day to be out and about looking for goats,hares etc.
Attachment 265619

excellent!

I,m shooting Hares a bit further out of town so tree huggers not so much of a worry.

Using a low end inferay thermal to find them, with the colour menu I get a red glow to 60M which is the shoot able limit for my PCP air rifle. Shooting jsb18g pellets at 35flbs or 920fps, with pard night vision scope sighted in a 50M this rig shoots half inch. Shooting off homemade shooting sticks as where I shoot is flat & often has longer grass. Head shots are a must, puts them down no worries, Quiet & at night I'm not shining a torch all over the place.

I do them in a slow cooker with a Maggi slow cooker sashay, onions & parsnips, bacon & whatever takes your fancy. Lot of meat on a hare, well worth eating.

agree flock underrated by kiwi hunters hares are great eating when done right and a lot of meat on them as good as venison

@ANTSMAN, you’re on the right track.

It’s pretty much been said but here’s my 2c on how to cover your bases well.

Check Satellite picture first.

Door knock the neighbours, this works better if the person you are shooting for, gives them a heads up that you will be doing so. When you speak to neighbours, it presents as professional and reassuring if you offer to give them a courtesy text prior to shooting activities. Often they will request your services as well.

Advise police via 105 each time you are shooting, (Don’t forget to advise them when you are finished)

Operate during darkness using thermal or NV sights, a small head torch for walking around doesn’t tend to ruffle feathers but a spotlight can. As an aside, any lighting device can upset the horses, so keep that in mind.

Using firearms/equipment that are suitable for the situation is a given.

Be prepared for the activities to be labour intensive as you are often limited in what you can shoot. As often as not, it’s a case of setting up with a safe angle and letting the rabbits come to you.
As woods223 says, you gotta be fucking sure of your shots, this actually applies at all times but in these situations it is less often that you can be and harder to boot.


Finally… if working in construction affords you access to a cherry picker/scissor lift, these can be used to effect. The easier but less effective option is gaining height from on top of a vehicle if you can.

Ummm if I remember correctly, law says firearm may not be discharged within 100m of a residence. True?

Originally Posted by Jhon

Ummm if I remember correctly, law says firearm may not be discharged within 100m of a residence. True?

As long as residents/general public are notified you’re reasonably safe.
From: Arms Legislation Act 2020
Section 48 replaced (Discharging firearm, airgun, pistol, or restricted weapon in or near dwellinghouse or public place)
Replace section 48 with:
48 Discharging firearm, airgun, pistol, or restricted weapon in or near dwellinghouse or public place
A person commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or to a fine not exceeding $10,000, if the person, without reasonable excuse, discharges a firearm, airgun, pistol, or restricted weapon in or near a dwellinghouse or a public place so as to—
(a)
endanger property; or
(b)
endanger, annoy, or frighten any person.